An additional $4.2 billion in emergency funding will go to Louisiana to support its long-term recovery from last year’s hurricanes, the Department of Housing and Urban Development reported Tuesday.
HUD made the announcement during a news conference at the State Supreme Court in New Orleans this week.
The housing department is also inviting Mississippi, Alabama, Florida and Texas to detail their unmet housing and community development needs to assist in determining how to allocate another $1 billion.
The emergency funding is provided through HUD’s Community Development Block Grant program. Last January, HUD allocated $11.5 billion in funding among five Gulf Coast states, including $6.2 billion to the state of Louisiana.
“It was clear to me that Louisiana desperately needs this additional funding to implement its plans to bring its citizens back home,” said HUD Deputy Secretary Roy A. Bernardi. “HUD will work very closely with (Louisiana) Governor Blanco and the Louisiana Recovery Authority to help pave the road home for thousands of residents desperate to rebuild their own lives.”
Last month, Congress approved President Bush’s request for an additional $4.2 billion in CDBG funding to support the long-term recovery efforts in Louisiana and added $1 billion to address remaining recovery needs in other Gulf Coast states.
The funding allocated today to Louisiana, and the remaining $1 billion to be allocated throughout the Gulf Coast, will help rebuild homes, restore vital infrastructure and revitalize devastated communities. This funding places a special emphasis on assisting affordable rental housing.
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